Showing posts with label predestination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label predestination. Show all posts

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Scrutinies, Options, and "a Great Multitude"

Someone called my father-in-law, asking which set of Bible readings we were using this week.

It's a reasonable question. One set for this fifth Sunday in Lent is Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; and John 11:1-45. The other, labeled "Fifth Sunday of Lent - Year A Scrutinies," is Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews 5:7-9; and John 12:20-33.

Having options isn't odd: readings for some Sundays include an abbreviated version — I'm not a big fan of those, since I like hearing Sacred Scripture, and my attention span doesn't time out quite that fast.

Two completely different options isn't usual, though: and "Year A Scrutinies" wasn't a familiar phrase. Turns out, it's part of RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

You'd think I'd know about that, since I'm an adult convert to Catholicism.

I was a bit surprised, back when I talked to a priest about signing up, he mentioned a bit of paperwork he'd have to do: and that was it.

My guess is that he knew about me. It's a small town, I married one of the deacon's daughters, and might have had a reputation for being gung-ho about our faith. Also a tad obsessive about research.

Priests, the ones I've been around, don't seem eager to rack up 'covert' numbers, and that's another topic. (June 15, 2011)

Anyway, I bypassed RCIA: which means I occasionally run into something unfamiliar connected with it. For that matter, I run into other new-to-me wrinkles of my faith now and then, too: hardly surprising, since we've been accumulating traditions (lower case "t") for about two millennia.

RCIA is a second Vatican Council thing, sort of. It's not a new idea, of course. We've been fine-tuning how to handle adult converts ever since our Lord picked out the original 12. ("Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy - Sacrosanctum Concilium," 64-66, Pope Paul VI (December 4, 1963); Catechism, 1232)

I'm pretty sure that some parishes had wacky variations on RCIA committed 'in the spirit of Vatican II:' which let tightly-wound Catholics assume that their little circle of friends was the only 'real' Catholic Church in the whole world. And that's yet another topic.

Or maybe not so much.

The Great Commission, Two Millennia and Counting


Our standing orders, outlined in Matthew 28:19-20, haven't changed in two millennia. What keeps changing is how we carry them out.

At this moment, we're living in the 21st century.

It's not like the first, or 11th, centuries.

We'd be daft, trying to proclaim the Gospel the way we did when Bi Sheng1 invented movable type: or during the year of five emperors. I'm convinced that American elections aren't the best possible way to select leaders: but it could be worse, and that's yet again another topic.

Like I've said before: change happens, and it's often not comfortable.

Folks who got used to rites introduced somewhere between the fall of the Sur Empire and whatever we cobble together to replace the United Nations may be upset about reforms a millennia or so from now.

What got me thinking about that? Change. Porcelain. the Song Dynasty. Got it.

I ran into someone who hadn't gotten over the Council of Trent, when we got a new Catechism and missal. Pope Pius V signed off on that, about five centuries back now.

Getting back to "scrutinies."

"The Elect," Catholic Style

"...The RCIA describes them as 'rites for self-searching and repentance and above all a spiritual purpose. The scrutinies are meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong and good. For the scrutinies are celebrated in order to deliver the elect from the power of sin and Satan, to protect them against temptation, and to give them strength in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.'(#141)..."
("Bulletin Article 1," USCCB)
"The elect?!"

I've talked about spiritual snobbery and Holy Willie before. Bottom line, it's a bad idea and we shouldn't do it — Holy Willie is a terrible role model. (July 27, 2014)

In this context, "elect" means "singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking (this elect body of students represents the best that the nation's high schools have to offer)" (Merriam-Webster.com)

I hope I'm one of the folks who are the "elect" — someone who, at the end, has the good sense to choose God's will.

God knows which choice I'll make, but I don't. Not yet. I've talked about time, knowledge, free will, and getting a grip, before. (July 27, 2014)

More to the point, the Catechism has a bit to say about it. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 31, 355-361, 373-379, 386-390, 396-409, 1730-1738, 1778, 2402)

Where was I? "The elect," Holy Willie, free will. Right.

Faith, Works, and Very Bad Ideas


Pop-theology versions of predestination can be comforting — or depressing — both of which are bad ideas. Very bad ideas.

Focus on the notion that we're "predestined" for Heaven, no matter what damned stupid stunts we pull, and we're skidding into presumption.

That's the notion that I can work my way into Heaven: or that God is such a sucker that I'll get in, no matter what. (Catechism, 2092)

"Faith without works is dead" and all that. What I do matters, but I'm entirely dependent on my Lord for forgiveness and salvation. (James 2:14-26; Catechism, 2006-2011)

Going the other direction, assuming that there's no way I could avoid Hell, is daft.

Reality check. Hell is real, but nobody — nobody — is "predestined" to end up there. Hope is a virtue, and despair is strictly against the rules. (Catechism, 600, 1033-1037, 1817-1821, 2091)

Scaring folks silly with tales of hellfire and damnation is part of America's cultural history: which doesn't make it a good idea. (March 15, 2015)

Catholics have our equivalents of Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." One I've heard about is a nifty little story about Saint [whoever] visiting someone in a dream and saying either that only a handful of folks from [wherever] made it to Heaven — or that they're all damned.

As for the notion that Heaven is underpopulated — John described one contingent as:
"...a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue...."
(Revelation 7:9)
I'm savvy enough to realize that Revelation — an example of apocalyptic literature, full of symbolic language — wasn't written by an American. Small wonder that folks marketing 'end times Bible prophecies' have a field day with the book.

On the other hand, I have trouble believing that Revelation 7:9 tells us that God doesn't have enough folks in Heaven to play six-hand spades.

And that's still another topic.

More of my take on life, death, and the long view:
Background:
1 Gutenberg's big contribution was metal type: and mass-production techniques. (January 27, 2009)
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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Predestination — Free Will from God's Point of View

Samuel Clemens may have taken God seriously: but not his era's version of Christianity.

His "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" include Huck's reactions to well-intentioned religious instruction by the Widow Douglas — and "pretty ornery preaching."
"It was pretty ornery preaching—all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness; but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith and good works and free grace and preforeordestination, and I don't know what all, that it did seem to me to be one of the roughest Sundays I had run across yet."
("Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Chapter XVIII, Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens (1885))

Called by God


If I thought predestination meant that God had decided ahead of time whether I was heading for Heaven or Hell, I might feel hopeless or self-righteous. Robert Burns' Holy Willie dramatizes what can happen when someone thinks he's Heaven-bound, no matter what. (January 4, 2012)

I'm a Catholic, so I believe that free will exists: and predestination. It's not as crazy a combination as it might seem.

Here's what got me started on the topic:
"5 We know that all things work for good for those who love God, 6 who are called according to his purpose.

"7 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

"And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified."
(Romans 8:28-30)
I'm called to love and serve God, just like everyone else. God willing, I'll be in that "great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue" — but I'm getting ahead of myself. (Revelation 7:9; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 27, 788; "Lumen Gentium," Paul VI (November 21, 1964))

Free Will


I'm human, able to reason and decide what I do: or don't do. Ideally, my emotions would be in synch with my reason: but I don't have to 'feel good' about doing what's right. I'm supposed use my brain, not my glands, for decision-making. (Catechism, 1730-1738, 1762-1770)

In the end, I will be in Heaven, or Hell. I have free will, so the decision is mine: God does not drag anyone, kicking and screaming, into Heaven or Hell. (Catechism, 1021-1037)

In principle, I could decide that I would rather ignore God, and spend an eternity away from my Lord. That would be a daft decision: but free will makes it an option.

My hope and goal is to be where death, mourning, and pain, no longer exist: and that's another topic. (Revelation 21:4)

Predestination


God knows every decision I make: throughout my life, no matter where I am.
"Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee?"
(Psalms 139:7)
God is present in all times, and all places, to every creature. God knows what I will do because God is there: and not limited by time and space, as I am. For God, "all moments of time are present in their immediacy." (Catechism, 600)

I choose freely at every point in my life: and God knows what I choose.

In that sense, I am "predestined" to be in either Heaven or Hell: but the choice is mine.

Acting as if God Matters


Deciding what I do about my faith is important, too. Believing that Jesus is the Son of God isn't enough: not by itself.
"So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

"Indeed someone might say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

"You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble."
(James 2:17-19)
Faith, believing in God, is fine: but useless if I don't act as if God matters. (Catechism, 1814-1816)

And that's another topic.

More of my take on faith that makes sense:
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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Holy Willie Syndrome

A person can get some great quotes, by snipping out little bits of the Bible:
"... No one who is begotten by God commits sin...."
(Part of 1 John 3:9)
Oh, wow! Does that mean that once I'm baptized and saved and all that, I can do any damned thing I want, and it won't be my fault?

No, I really don't think so.

A Little More Detail

That 'no one ... commits sin" is from from today's first reading, 1 John 3:7-10:
"Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. 4 In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother."
(1 John 3:7-10)
It's possible, if not reasonable, to take that snippet from 1 John 3:9 and decide that "righteous" people can do no wrong. And, of course, that "whoever sins" is irrevocably condemned to Hell.

If that doesn't seem compatible with loving each other: I agree, and I've been over that before. ("Loving Neighbors: No Matter What" (May 10, 2011))

"Sinless?!"

Being part of a self-described little band of 'spiritual elite' can, I suppose, be reassuring. Not to me, though. I want to be "righteous," but not self-righteous. There's a difference.

Let's see what that footnote says:
"A habitual sinner is a child of the devil, while a child of God, who by definition is in fellowship with God, cannot sin. Seed: Christ or the Spirit who shares the nature of God with the Christian."
(Footnote 4, 1 John 3)
Okay: clarifying "sinner" as being a "habitual sinner" helps, a bit. As usual, there's more. Quite a lot more, including something earlier in that book:
"If we say, 'We are without sin,' we deceive ourselves, 3 and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, 'We have not sinned,' we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
(1 John 1:8-10)
Again with the footnote:
"Denial of the condition of sin is self-deception and even contradictory of divine revelation; there is also the continual possibility of sin's recurrence. Forgiveness and deliverance from sin through Christ are assured through acknowledgment of them and repentance."
(Footnote 3, 1 John 1)

Being 'Biblical,' Getting a Grip

I could take those two selections from 1 John, say 'the Bible contradicts itself,' and be considered 'intelligent' in some circles. That kind of trouble I don't need. I've posted about the particular judgment before.

Or I could decide that my cultural background and personal quirks are 'divine inspiration,' latch on to my favorite verses from the Bible, and claim that God is on my side. Again, that kind of trouble I don't need. The idea is to be on God's side, and that's another topic.

I don't doubt that folks who say women must wear dresses, because the Bible says so, are sincere. I also think they missed some important points. Which is part of the reason why I don't rant about the Bible ordaining that the zoot suit shall be worn by men forevermore. And that's definitely another topic. Topics.

I have to take the Bible seriously. It's Sacred Scripture, inspired writing, and true. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 101-108)

But I don't worship a book. I worship God. Who is the Bible's author. (Catechism, 105) As a Catholic, I'm required to read the Bible; use my brain; and pay attention to what my Lord's outfit has been saying for the last couple of thousand years. (Catechism, 109-133)

"Repent!" and More

I'm a convert to Catholicism, so I'm probably more likely use words like "repentance," or "repent," than a cradle Catholic. Repentance is important, but I get the impression that the Church wants us to be aware of the process: contrition; penance; and reconciliation.

The rules are simple: love God, love my neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31) Also that everybody is my neighbor. (Matthew 5:43-44; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-30; Catechism, 1825)

I think the reason the Church 'makes stuff complicated' is that folks keep trying to weasel out of the simple, but challenging, rules. Yet more topics.

I put links to part of what the Church says about sin, contrition, and all that, under Background, near the end of this post.

Holy Willie's Prayer

Folks getting wild ideas, based on that "... No one who is begotten by God commits sin...." Biblical snippet is nothing new.

Robert (Rabbie) Burns wrote the words of "Auld Lang Syne." He also wrote "Holy Willie's Prayer:"
"...In 'Holy Willie's Prayer,' he [Burns] lays a burning hand on the terrible doctrine of predestination: this is a satire, daring, personal, and profane. Willie claims praise in the singular, acknowledges folly in the plural, and makes heaven accountable for his sins!..."
(Life of Robert Burns, " The Complete Works of Robert Burns," Allan Cunningham (1855), via gutenberg.org)
I put the full text of "Holy Willie's Prayer" at the end of this post.1 The Catholic Church 'believes in' predestination, by the way. But not the 'Holy Willie' sort:
"To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of 'predestination,' he includes in it each person's free response to his grace: 'In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.'395 For the sake of accomplishing his plan of salvation, God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.396"
(Catechism, 600)
That's the sort of detail that I think is interesting, even fascinating. But since God's God, and I'm not: that sort of 'predestination' may not make much practical difference in my daily decisions.

Holy Willie Syndrome

The phrase, "Holy Willie syndrome," has been around for well over a decade. At least. I think it's a catchy phrase for describing a particularly arrogant, blind, sort of hypocrisy.

Truth as lifestyle choice helps a person avoid hypocrisy. (Catechism, 2468) And that's yet again another topic.

It's Faith and Works

I rely on the mercy of God and the sacrifice my Lord made at Golgotha for my salvation. (Luke 24:46-47; Catechism, 602-603, 1424) But I'm expected to do something with the life I've been given, too. (James 2:12-26; Catechism, 1021, 1915, 2199)

Those bits from the Bible and the Catechism aren't all that's been written about acting as if God matters: but they're a start.

Related posts:
Background
  • Sin
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1846-1869)
    • Is an offense against
      • Reason
      • Truth
      • Right conscience
        (Catechism, 1849)
      • God
        (Catechism, 1850)
    • May be forgiven
      (Catechism, 976-983)
  • Contrition
    (Catechism, 1451-1454)
    • "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again"
      (Council of Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum de rebus fidei et morum 1676 (1965), quoted in Catechism, 1451)
  • Penance
    (Catechism, 1422-1484)
    • Part of an ongoing process of conversion
      (Catechism, 1425)
  • Reconciliation
    (Catechism, 1420-1484)
    • With God
      (Catechism, 1468)
    • With the Church
      (Catechism, 1469)
  • There's more
    • Lots more
1The "Pope" quoted by Robert Burns is Alexander Pope (1688-1744). "And sent the godly in a pet to pray" is from A. Pope's poem, "The Rape of the Lock." Here's Robert Burns' take on one sort of 18th century religion:
"Holy Willie's Prayer

" 'And send the godly in a pet to pray.'--Pope.

"Argument.

"Holy Willie was a rather oldish bachelor elder, in the parish of Mauchline, and much and justly famed for that polemical chattering, which ends in tippling orthodoxy, and for that spiritualized bawdry which refines to liquorish devotion. In a sessional process with a gentleman in Mauchline--a Mr. Gavin Hamilton--Holy Willie and his priest, Father Auld, after full hearing in the presbytery of Ayr, came off but second best; owing partly to the oratorical powers of Mr. Robert Aiken, Mr. Hamilton's counsel; but chiefly to Mr. Hamilton's being one of the most irreproachable and truly respectable characters in the county. On losing the process, the muse overheard him [Holy Willie] at his devotions, as follows:--

"O Thou, who in the heavens does dwell,
Who, as it pleases best Thysel',
Sends ane to heaven an' ten to hell,
A' for Thy glory,
And no for ony gude or ill
They've done afore Thee!

"I bless and praise Thy matchless might,
When thousands Thou hast left in night,
That I am here afore Thy sight,
For gifts an' grace
A burning and a shining light
To a' this place.

"What was I, or my generation,
That I should get sic exaltation,
I wha deserve most just damnation
For broken laws,
Five thousand years ere my creation,
Thro' Adam's cause?

"When frae my mither's womb I fell,
Thou might hae plunged me in hell,
To gnash my gums, to weep and wail,
In burnin lakes,
Where damned devils roar and yell,
Chain'd to their stakes.

"Yet I am here a chosen sample,
To show thy grace is great and ample;
I'm here a pillar o' Thy temple,
Strong as a rock,
A guide, a buckler, and example,
To a' Thy flock.

"O Lord, Thou kens what zeal I bear,
When drinkers drink, an' swearers swear,
An' singin there, an' dancin here,
Wi' great and sma';
For I am keepit by Thy fear
Free frae them a'.

"But yet, O Lord! confess I must,
At times I'm fash'd wi' fleshly lust:
An' sometimes, too, in wardly trust,
Vile self gets in:
But Thou remembers we are dust,
Defil'd wi' sin.

"O Lord! yestreen, Thou kens, wi' Meg--
Thy pardon I sincerely beg,
O! may't ne'er be a livin plague
To my dishonour,
An' I'll ne'er lift a lawless leg
Again upon her.

"Besides, I farther maun allow,
Wi' Leezie's lass, three times I trow--
But Lord, that Friday I was fou,
When I cam near her;
Or else, Thou kens, Thy servant true
Wad never steer her.

"Maybe Thou lets this fleshly thorn
Buffet Thy servant e'en and morn,
Lest he owre proud and high shou'd turn,
That he's sae gifted:
If sae, Thy han' maun e'en be borne,
Until Thou lift it.

"Lord, bless Thy chosen in this place,
For here Thou hast a chosen race:
But God confound their stubborn face,
An' blast their name,
Wha bring Thy elders to disgrace
An' public shame.

"Lord, mind Gaw'n Hamilton's deserts;
He drinks, an' swears, an' plays at cartes,
Yet has sae mony takin arts,
Wi' great and sma',
Frae God's ain priest the people's hearts
He steals awa.

"An' when we chasten'd him therefor,
Thou kens how he bred sic a splore,
An' set the warld in a roar
O' laughing at us;--
Curse Thou his basket and his store,
Kail an' potatoes.

"Lord, hear my earnest cry and pray'r,
Against that Presbyt'ry o' Ayr;
Thy strong right hand, Lord, make it bare
Upo' their heads;
Lord visit them, an' dinna spare,
For their misdeeds.

"O Lord, my God! that glib-tongu'd Aiken,
My vera heart and flesh are quakin,
To think how we stood sweatin', shakin,
An' p-'d wi' dread,
While he, wi' hingin lip an' snakin,
Held up his head.

"Lord, in Thy day o' vengeance try him,
Lord, visit them wha did employ him,
And pass not in Thy mercy by 'em,
Nor hear their pray'r,
But for Thy people's sake, destroy 'em,
An' dinna spare.

"But, Lord, remember me an' mine
Wi' mercies temp'ral an' divine,
That I for grace an' gear may shine,
Excell'd by nane,
And a' the glory shall be thine,
Amen, Amen!"
(Holy Willie's Prayer (1785), from "Poems And Songs Of Robert Burns," Robert Burns (1855) via Gutenberg.org)
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Being Saved, the Narrow Gate, and All That

Today's Gospel reading is Luke 13:22-30. That's the part where we find:
"Someone asked him, 'Lord, will only a few people be saved?' He answered them, 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough....' "
(Luke 13:24-25)
There's a mess of opportunities for misunderstanding here. The one that crossed my mind first was what 'the First Church of Me and Thee' seems to think.

Having Standards, Getting a Grip

In a way, it's a comforting sort of faith; the notion that:
  • Heaven is
    • Populated exclusively by folks with similar tastes in
      • Clothing
      • Music
      • Hair styles
      • Entertainment
      • Politics
    • A sort of eternal 'members-only' social club
  • God is
    • Against things I don't like
    • For things I approve of
Back in my youth, a remarkable number of folks acted as if one of God's commands was that women dress just the way ladies did:
  • In America
  • From about 1945 to 1955
I've posted about that before.1

The Catholic Church has standards of behavior,2 including the way we dress: but they're a bit more, well, catholic, than what you'll get from the 'First Church of Fred.'

Faith and Works

Happily, since I'm a practicing Catholic: I don't need to guess what Luke 13: 22-30 'really' means:
"9 [22-30] These sayings of Jesus follow in Luke upon the parables of the kingdom (⇒ Luke 13:18-21) and stress that great effort is required for entrance into the kingdom (⇒ Luke 13:24) and that there is an urgency to accept the present opportunity to enter because the narrow door will not remain open indefinitely (⇒ Luke 13:25). Lying behind the sayings is the rejection of Jesus and his message by his Jewish contemporaries (⇒ Luke 13:26) whose places at table in the kingdom will be taken by Gentiles from the four corners of the world (⇒ Luke 13:29). Those called last (the Gentiles) will precede those to whom the invitation to enter was first extended (the Jews). See also ⇒ Luke 14:15-24."
(Footnote 9, Luke 13)
That "great effort is required for entrance into the kingdom" doesn't mean that Catholics are told we can earn a place in the Kingdom of God. We're not told that all we need to do is 'really believe,' either. Again, I've been over that before.3

By the way, the Jews weren't collectively responsible for the Crucifixion. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 597) We all were, and are, personally. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 597-599)

Am I 'Saved?'

For most of my life, I had major depression. I definitely have not "felt saved." Not even close.4 Add ADHD-inattentive to the mix, both undiagnosed until a few years ago: and that's another topic. Bottom line, I'm on medication now: which is an enormous improvement.5

But, am I "saved?" Since I don't go to the 'First Church of Fred,' or have beliefs like the fellow in Robert Burns' "Holy Willie's Prayer," there are folks who probably think I'm not.

Goofy theology bothers me, but letting it affect me is an option. I'm concerned about what my Lord has to say about the matter, since it's His opinion that counts.

So, am I "saved?"

Since I haven't died yet, I'm 'working out' my salvation. Philippians 2:12, and all that.

Wait a minute, though. Wasn't there a point in time when I was saved?

Yes.

That moment was about two thousand years back, on Golgotha.6

Predestination

Looking at the big picture, I'm either "saved:" or I'm not. Which brings up "predestination."

Doesn't God 'predestine' the 'good people' for Heaven, so I can get away with any sort of damned foolishness now?

No.

It doesn't work that way. Not at all. (Catechism, 600)

Sort-of-related posts:
1 The Catholic Church has standards, established by God, about how folks should act. We've also been around for two millennia, and stand on a foundation that goes back several thousand years more.

Quite a bit has changed since the Babylonian Empire went out of business, including:
  • Clothing
  • Technology
  • Politics
I think it's silly to act as if God wants everything to be the way it was when I was a teen: or any other period. More about that:
2 Like I said, the Catholic Church has standards. Which doesn't mean what you may have read in the papers.

One of our standards is that we are not - definitely, specifically, not - supposed to hate people. Any people:
3 It's "faith and works, not "faith or works." Yes, believing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ is important. So is what a person does with that belief:
  • "Love God, love your neighbor"
    (Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-31)
  • My works and faith will be rewarded right after I die
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1021)
    • One way or another
My take on what's expected:
4 Not being 'hooked on a feeling, high on believing,' has its advantages. I've learned how to think about what I believe, instead of 'trusting my feelings,' or 'doing what my heart tells me.' That "Hooked On A Feeling" golden oldie was about the emotional rush we call 'being in love,' and that's another topic.

5 "On medication?" Aren't Christians supposed to trust God? Yes. I'm a Catholic Christian. We're expected to trust God: and not be stupid. I've posted about that sort of thing:
6 The death of my Lord, for the sake of my sins, is a pretty big deal. (Matthew 27:33-54, Mark 15:33-39, Luke 23:33-47, John 19:17-37, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Hebrews 5:9) There's a pretty good summary of what's going on there in the Catechism, 600-617.
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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Harlots and Pharisees, Agnostics and Routine Believers

An agnostic is not, oddly enough, a person who rejects Gnosticism.1 "Agnostic" has a few related meanings:
  • Noun
    • Someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something
    • A person who claims that they cannot have true knowledge about the existence of God (but does not deny that God might exist)
  • Adjective
    • Of or pertaining to an agnostic or agnosticism
    • Uncertain of all claims to knowledge
    (Princeton's WordNet)
I've been "agnostic," at least in the sense of being "doubtful or noncommittal" when it came to details about God, His creation, and what happened after the first century. Sorting out conventional attitudes, lurid tales, and historical facts ended with my conversion to Catholicism. Turns out, the Pope says it's okay to wonder about God.

By the way, this is the fourth of seven posts about what Benedict XVI said during his trip to Germany:
  1. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Hope, Confidence, and Looking Forward"
    (September 27, 2011)
  2. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Liberation, Transformation, and Getting Personal"
    (September 27, 2011)
  3. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Scandal, Abuse, and the Cross"
    (September 28, 2011)
  4. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Harlots and Pharisees, Agnostics and Routine Believers"
    (September 29, 2011)
  5. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: Dissent, Conversion, and Knowledge"
    (September 30, 2011)
  6. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: We're Not About 'Joyless Saints' "
    (October 1, 2011)
  7. "Benedict XVI in Germany, My Take: 'Where God is, There is a Future' "
    (October 3, 2011)
Now, about the Pope, Pharisees, harlots, agnostics, and folks with a 'whatever' faith:

Harlots and Pharisees, Agnostics and Routine Believers

"Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged German Catholics to remain faithful to the unity of the Church. He warned that those Catholics who view the Church as a mere institution are often further from God than agnostics.

" 'The Church in Germany will continue to be a blessing for the entire Catholic world: if she remains faithfully united with the Successors of St. Peter and the Apostles,' the Pope said at an open-air Sept. 25 Mass in the German city of Freiburg.

"Pope Benedict updated the warning of Christ that 'tax collectors and harlots' were closer to God than the Pharisees, offering a version 'translated into the language of our time.'

" 'Agnostics, who are constantly exercised by the question of God, those who long for a pure heart but suffer on account of our sin, are closer to the Kingdom of God than believers whose life of faith is 'routine' and who regard the Church merely as an institution, without letting their hearts be touched by faith,' said the Pope...."
(CNA (September 25, 2011))

More Than having My Name in the Parish Directory

What?! Nice, decent folks whose name is in the parish directory and show up for Mass when they can, aren't as close to the Kingdom of God as agnostics? That seems to be what the Pope said, and I think he's right.

Blind (Deaf, and Dumb) Faith?

Rabid Bible-thumpers and atheist zealots are like-minded in some ways. They often assume that faith is:
  • Believing what's 'in the Bible' according to
    • Their pastor
    • Themselves
    • Their friends
  • Faith must be
    • Blind
    • Unquestioning
    • Unthinking
    • Unwavering
That sort of faith can have odd results:


(Non Sequitur, Wiley Miller, used w/o permission)

Folks who never question the faith they learned at their mother's knee won't necessarily get crazy ideas. I think folks who live out their lives with love for God and neighbor, without learning much beyond 'Jesus loves me, this I know,' are blessed.

But I'm not like that. Happily, we're not all supposed to be alike.2

There's more about gnosticism, thinking, and the Catholic Church, near the end of this post.3 Moving on.

The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God apparently isn't a place: It's a condition. The Catechism's Glossary says that the The Kingdom of God is "reign or rule of God,"4 "not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17)

Which doesn't mean that Catholics are supposed to stop eating, and that's another topic.

Destination: Kingdom of God

I can't travel to the Kingdom of God, not literally. My 'going' there is a matter of working on me: my heart. Again, not literally. Back to what the Pope said:
"...This renewal of the Church in Germany will 'only come about through openness to conversion and through renewed faith,' said Pope Benedict. Jesus Christ 'is always close to us, especially in times of danger and radical change, his heart aches for us and he reaches out to us,' he added.

" 'We need to open ourselves to him so that the power of his mercy can touch our hearts. We have to be ready to abandon evil, to raise ourselves from indifference and make room for his word,' he said.

"In practical terms, the Pope suggested that each person ask themselves some basic questions about their personal relationship with God in prayer, in participation at Mass, in exploring his or her faith through mediation on Sacred Scripture and through study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church...."
(CNA (September 25, 2011))
Looks like it's back to asking questions:
  • How's my relationship with God going?
    • Prayer is indicated
  • What about my faith?
    • Meditation?! That's right
      • On Sacred Scripture
      • Through study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
I'm using this blog as a way to make sure that I get into the Bible and the Catechism pretty much every day. Maybe that's not as 'pure' as doing nearly the same thing without the discipline of trying to organize ideas for a post. For now, I'm not going to worry about that.

Tax Collectors, Harlots, Pharisees: And, God Willing, Me

I don't "know" that I'm "saved." In principle, I could decide that I didn't want to spend eternity with my Lord. That'd be a daft decision, but it could happen. Which gets me into free will.5 And other topics.

I hope that I'm more like the tax collector than the Pharisee in this story:
""Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity - greedy, dishonest, adulterous - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.' But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.' "
(Luke 18:10-14)
Jesus told wonderfully concise, densely-packed stories. That one phrase shows the Pharisee's attitude, "The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself...." Then there's the contrasting " 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.' "

Apart from tending to have self-esteem issues, I don't think there was anything basically wrong with being a Pharisee. Hey, Saint Paul is a pharisee. (Acts 23:6) Granted, my Lord had to get Paul's attention first. (Acts 9:1-6)

So being a Pharisee doesn't seem to be an insurmountable obstacle for someone headed for the Kingdom of God. Neither, apparently, is being a tax collector or a harlot. What seems to matter is what a person does after spotting the goal:Then there's Nicodemus, who seems to have had a rather steep learning curve. (John 3:1-15) And that's another topic.

More posts in this series:Vaguely-related posts:
In the news:
1 Gnosticism has been define as "a religious orientation advocating gnosis as the way to release a person's spiritual element; considered heresy by Christian churches:" which isn't all that helpful unless you know that "gnosis" means "intuitive knowledge of spiritual truths; said to have been possessed by ancient Gnostics." Sort of like "Luke, trust your feelings!" Only not quite. Gnosticism was a big hit, back in the 2nd century:
"...The second-century Church was threatened by the so-called Gnosis, a doctrine which affirmed that the faith taught in the Church was merely a symbolism for the simple who were unable to grasp difficult concepts; instead, the initiates, the intellectuals - Gnostics, they were called - claimed to understand what was behind these symbols and thus formed an elitist and intellectualist Christianity...." ("General Audience" Benedict XVI (March 28, 2007))
Gnosticism has been back since then, with a new name and updated accessories. It's still a bad idea:
"Since the beginning the Christian faith has been challenged by responses to the question of origins that differ from its own. Ancient religions and cultures produced many myths concerning origins. Some philosophers have said that everything is God, that the world is God, or that the development of the world is the development of God (Pantheism). Others have said that the world is a necessary emanation arising from God and returning to him. Still others have affirmed the existence of two eternal principles, Good and Evil, Light and Darkness, locked in permanent conflict (Dualism, Manichaeism). According to some of these conceptions, the world (at least the physical world) is evil, the product of a fall, and is thus to be rejected or left behind (Gnosticism). Some admit that the world was made by God, but as by a watchmaker who, once he has made a watch, abandons it to itself (Deism). Finally, others reject any transcendent origin for the world, but see it as merely the interplay of matter that has always existed (Materialism). All these attempts bear witness to the permanence and universality of the question of origins. This inquiry is distinctively human...."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 285)
About gnosticism, including what's above:
And see:
2 Catholics aren't supposed to be all alike. Sure,we're one body - but like I said before, "what good would a body be that was all gallbladder?" More:3 Gnosticism is a heresy: something the Catholic Church emphatically doesn't approve of. Pope Benedict XVI said that gnostics "formed an elitist and intellectualist Christianity." That doesn't mean that the Catholic Church is 'anti-intellectual.' Which may seem counter-intuitive to folks who are more familiar with America's goofier Protestant groups.

I became a Catholic in part because I didn't have to check my brain at the door. Not that the Catholic Church is the religious equivalent of Mensa. We're all sorts of people, which suits me fine. (August 26, 2010)

I've posted about gnosticism, the Catholic Church, and getting a grip, before:4 From the Catechism's Glossary:
KINGDOM OF GOD (OF HEAVEN): The reign or rule of God: 'the kingdom of God is . . . righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Rom 14:17). The Kingdom of God draws near in the coming of the Incarnate Word; it is announced in the Gospel; it is the messianic Kingdom, present in the person of Jesus, the Messiah; it remains in our midst in the Eucharist. Christ gave to his Apostles the work of proclaiming the Kingdom, and through the Holy Spirit forms his people into a priestly kingdom, the Church, in which the Kingdom of God is mysteriously present, for she is the seed and beginning of the Kingdom on earth. In the Lord's Prayer ('Thy Kingdom come') we pray for its final glorious appearance, when Christ will hand over the Kingdom to his Father (541-554, 709, 763, 2816, 2819).
(Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church) [links to text citations added]
This is a good spot for my usual disclaimer: I've got the teaching authority of "some guy with a blog."

5 God could have made me, everybody, with hardwired responses: so that I couldn't sin. Or practice virtue. Risky as it is, I'm rather glad He made free will part of the package. More of my take on free will:What about "predestination?" It's compatible with free will - from God's point of view:
"To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of 'predestination,' he includes in it each person's free response to his grace: 'In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.'395 For the sake of accomplishing his plan of salvation, God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.396"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 600)
Do I fully understand how God perceives the whole of creation? No. He's God, I'm not. Enough said.
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